Covered wire and method for producing the same



July 28, 1936. v. F. DI LUSTRO ET AL 2,043,849

COVERED WIRE AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING THE SAME Filed Sept. 6, 1935 s Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS W70 I 01L (/5780.

l v M 4/ WTORNEYS July 28, 1936. v. F. D] LUSTRO ET AL 2,048,849

COVERED WIRE AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING THE SAME Filed Sept. 6, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR5 W70 FD/LUJTEO 2 4 EAYWfZ/q NJ'BUAG.

ATTORNEYS July 28, 1936. V. F. DI LUSTRO ET AL 2,048,849

COVERED WIRE AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING THE SAME Filed Sept. 6, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS Wro 170/1: UJTFQ Y w ELERyfi/YZANJBURG ATTORNEYS Patented July 28, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE.

COVERED WIRE AND METHOD FOR v PRODUCING THE SAME Application September 6, 1935, Serial No. 39,392

v 12 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved type of wire, sometimes referred to by those skilled in the art as weatherproof wire and to certain improvements in the method and means for producing the same.

The improved method contemplates advancing a wire or other conductor longitudinally while applying thereto several longitudinally extending bulky fibrous bodies such as cotton roving or the like and then applying a strip longitudinally about these bulky bodies to hold the same in a a compressed state and finally forming an outerjacket of interconnected fibrous or textile strands to complete the assemblage.

The invention also comprises the novel combination of cooperating parts, and "means for carrying out the method and producing a product as will be hereinafter more fully described and defined in the-appended claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the method, apparatus and product.

In the accompanying drawings:-

Fig. 1 is a side elevation with parts broken v away, illustrating improved mechanism for carrying out the method in question; Fig. 2 is an enlarged central longitudinal section of a portion of the machine shown in Fig. 1; Fig; 3 is a detailed horizontal section taken on line 3-4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on line 4l of Fig. 2, showing the overlapped effect of the'roving strips about the wire core; Fig. 5 is a sents a reel having rolled up thereon a wire I2 or other conductor to be covered. This wire" is advanced longitudinally, for example, by means, of an overhead capstan around which the finished product is given one or more turns before being reeled 'up on the take-up reel Hi. The wheel I4 is carried on a. shaft I S driven from any suitable source of power at a speed sufficient to take up the wire as fast as it is covered by the instrumentalities presently to be described.

We provide a plurality of supplies of cotton roving as indicated at I8. This cottonroving is. a relatively bulky fibrous material and is adapted to be arranged longitudinally of the wire l2 as the same is advanced. In some cases, each bulky strand oi cotton roving will be provided with an exterior helical reinforcement 20, such 'as suggested by the helical lines in Figs. 2 and 3.

A plurality of roving guides 22 are disposed above the supplies l8. These guides are in the nature of spiraled tubes. The tubes converge toward the wire relatively to one another and each tube itself is formed with converging walls. These converging walls are effective to alter the normal cross-sectional contour of the bodies. These rovings are normally approximately circular in cross-section, but as they emerge from the upper or exit ends 24 of the roving guides,

they are flattened out, as indicated at 26 in Fig.

'3. The thus flattened out roving bodies as they progress upwardly are more or less overlapped, and we provide a closing die indicated at. 28, which has a flaring or substantially conical central opening therein, which is effective to compress the roving bodies about the wire, so that they overlap substantially, as indicated in the detail view, Fig. 4.

Extending upwardly from the closing die 28 there is a sleeve or tube 32 which confines the roving for a considerable distance as it is advanced upwardly with the wire.

A supply roll of strip material ll, such as paper, cambric or the like, is suitably supported on a. spindle or roll body 36. From this supply the'strip 38 is fed upwardly and into the tapered mouth 40 of the folder 42 which is effective, as

i the product is advanced forwardly,to fold the strip about the roving, either with a longitudinal overlap as shown, or alternately the strip might be applied with a butt joint. The folding of the strip is effected by the joint action of the tube 32 and the inclined mouth of the folder. The tube 32 terminates, as indicated at H, ashort 1 distance beyond the most restricted portion of the tapered mouth in the folder. Beyond this point there is a closing die 46, having a tapered passageway 48 therethrough, which is adapted to fold the paper in proper assembled relationship around the cotton rovings as the product is advanced. I The guides 22 extend through a suitable central opening formed in the deck plates 50-52 of a conventional type of braiding mechanism. The supporting brackets 54 for the roving guides 22 and the folder 42 are carried by the upper deck a multiplicity of carriers 56 and spools 58, which" move in crossing undulating paths, the carriers being propelled by horn gears'M and a known type of propelling mechanism -in the form of notched discs 62, which coact with extensions 64, which pass through the undulating guide grooves of the braiding machine.

The braiding mechanism is effective to interconnect a multiplicityof strands of cotton or other fibrous strands 6| so as to form an outer braided jacket 66, which serves to hold the component cover elements described in proper assembled relation. There is a conventional type of die 68 located above the braiding point as shown.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that our improved method contemplates advancing the wire or conductor longitudinally while applying cotton roving, or equivalent bulky strands longitudinally of the wire and that during such application the roving is compressed and an enclosing strip is applied longitudinally thereabout, whereupon the outer braid is formed about the strip, so as to complete the assemblage.

The copper conductor may be in the form of a solid wire as illustrated, or it can be regarded as a flexible conductor made up of bunched or stranded conductors. The bulky bodies of strand material may be of cotton roving reinforced with an exterior thin thread or may comprise relatively bulky strands of jute, sisal, hemp or the like. The longitudinally extending strip 38 may be of either cloth or paper. But, for some cases, paper is to be preferred, as it provides for a plane of slippage between the roving and the braided jacket. This is deemed advantageous because it facilitates the ease of bending the product after the parts have been impregnated with the conventional types of insulation. This paper or other barrier between the cotton roving and the outer woven or braided jacket serves to prevent the intermingling or entangling of the cotton fibers of the roving with the crossing or otherwise interconnected strands of the outermost jacket.

In some cases, we prefer to use a strip formed of crinkled paper. For such crinkled paper has the advantage of increased elasticity over plain paper and, therefore, will not be so subject to being severed when bent ona sharp radius.

While we have described quite specifically the steps of our method, the mechanism used in practicing such method and the particular product resulting from the practice of the method, it is to be understood that the description and drawings are to be interpreted in an illustrative rather than a limiting sense,'as various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departure from the invention as defined in the following claims.

What we claim is:

l. The method of covering conductors which comprises advancing a conductor longitudinally while applying a plurality of longitudinally extending bulky fibrous bodies thereto, constricting a longitudinally extending strip about said bulky fibrous bodies and forming a jacket of interconnected fibrous strands around said strip.

2. The method of covering conductors which comprises advancing a conductor longitudinally while applying a plurality of longitudinally extending bulky fibrous bodies thereto in longitudinally overlapping relationship, enveloping the latter within a longitudinally extending strip and forming a jacket of interconnected fibrous strands around said strip.

3. The method of covering conductors which comprises advancing a conductor longitudinally while applying a plurality of longitudinally extending strands of cotton roving thereto, altering the sectional contour of said bulky strands, applying a longitudinally extending strip there- 5 about and forming a jacket of interconnected fibrous strands around said strip.

4. The method of covering conductors which comprises advancing a conductor longitudinally while applying a plurality of longitudinally ex- 10 tending bulky fibrous bodies thereto, applying a strip of paper thereabout and forming a jacket of interconnected fibrous strands about said strip.

5. The method of covering conductors which comprises advancing a conductor longitudinally 15 while applying a plurality of longitudinally extending bulky fibrous bodies thereto, applying a strip of crinkled paper thereabout and forming a jacket of interconnected fibrous strands about said strip.

6. The method of covering conductors which comprises advancing a conductor longitudinally while applying a plurality of longitudinally extending bulky fibrous bodies thereto in longitudinally overlapping relationship, enveloping 25 the latter within a longitudinally extending strip of fibrous material and braidinga jacket of textile strands around said strip.

'7. The method of covering conductors which comprises advancing a conductor longitudinally, 3 converging a plurality of bulky fibrous bodies toward the conductor while altering their crosssectional form and overlapping them longitudinally about the conductor, enveloping such overlapped bodies within a longitudinally extending 35 strip, and forming a jacket of interconnected strands around said strip.

8. The manufactured product herein described comprising a wire having in contact therewith a plurality of longitudinally extending overlapping bulky bodies of cotton roving, a longitudinally extending strip enveloping the latter and a jacket of interconnected textile strands enclosing the assemblage.

9. The manufactured product herein described 45 comprising a wire having in contact therewith a plurality of longitudinally extending overlapping bulky bodies of cotton roving, a longitudinally extending strip of paper enveloping the latter and a jacket of interwoven textile strands enclosing the assemblage.

10. The manufactured product herein described comprising a wire having in contact therewith a plurality of longitudinally extending bulky fibrous bodies, a strip enveloping the latter and a jacket of interconnected textile strands holding the strip in engagement with said bulky strands.

11. The manufactured product herein described comprising a wire having in contact therewith a plurality of longitudinally extending overlapping 60 bulky fibrous bodies, a longitudinally extending strip embracing said bodies and a jacket of interconnected fibrous strands embracing said strip.

12. The manufactured product herein described comprising a wire having in contact therewith a 65' 

